The Light Man sat at the back of the schoolhouse. Earlier he had tested most of the children in hopes of finding the six children he was destined to train, finding few with any potential at all. There was one child, however, who stood out. Deciding that the girl, Saraba, was worth a look into, he had arranged, with the girl's teacher, to go have supper with her family.

As the evening progressed, the Light Man found the Saraba less hopeful than he first thought, becoming more interested in the girl's older siblings, Syndia and Cadger. He also learned that almost thirty years ago, one of the children in the family disappeared.

With much discussion, the Light Man convinced the parents to allow him to take the older children away to be trained. Staying for the night, Syndia and Cadger had the opportunity to quiz him on everything they had ever wanted to know.

The next morning, with little more than a couple hours of sleep, the three departed from the little house, riding nonstop most of the morning.

As noon approached, the Light Man finally called a break. They all dismounted and sat below a tree on the side of the road.

"Teacher, you have not given us a name by which we can call you," noted Syndia as she ate some of the food her mother had packed for them.

"For now you may call me what you will. My name may be revealed in time, but now is not that time," he answered softly.

"So, you have decided to train us because you believe we play a part in some ancient prophecy?" questioned Cadger, who was still trying to grasp the concept of what was happening. The Light Man nodded his head in agreement.

"What do you remember of the prophecy I told you last night?" he asked studying the two youth's faces.

"It talked about there being a great peace, and six children who were conceived at Beltide. It also warned that there would be a great war," Cadger recalled.

"Then there was something about the great," Syndia added. "Something about how they would be the only ones to defeat the six. It also said something about the Gods."

"Good, you both learn well. The prophecy describes two groups of people, who, once all found and trained, will fight many battles without ever actually seeing each other. It will be during summer when the final events will unfold. At the end, only six of the twelve chosen ones will meet in a final battle, where the fate of the world will be determined," he whispered softly. Cadger noticed his hushed tone.

"Why do you whisper, Teacher?" he asked, his voice a yell compared to the Light Man's whispering.

"You have not noticed? We are being tracked," the Light Man said laughing. Syndia began to glance around nervously.

"Don't worry, young one. They have been following me for ages," the Light Man laughed. "They shall not approach us, so long as they receive their payment."

Standing up, he started packing their stuff. At the base of the tree, he left a small packet of meat. Then mounting his horse, he looked back at the two still sitting with confused looks on their faces.

"Well, are you coming or not? We still have a long day of riding ahead of us," he said smiling.

The two gave him an odd look, then shrugged as they began to pack up their own stuff. As they mounted, the Light Man kicked his horse forward. All three raced across the country side for the rest of the day.

As the sun set, they saw a rather moderate sized tenement ahead. The Light Man slowed his horse to let the other two catch up.

"Home finally," he sighed. "Just a bit further, then a warm meal and a soft bed for all."

This time Cadger, inspired by the thought of comfort, led the last charge to the house. Upon arriving, they all stabled their mounts in the small barn behind the tenement. After a good meal, they sat before a warm fire relaxing.

"Come to me, my son."

Gasping, the Light's Man's eyes widened in surprise. Syndia looked up quickly.

"What is it, Teacher?" she asked concerned.

"Did you not just hear that voice?" he asked slightly confused.

Cadger shook his head, feeling lost. The Light Man looked to Syndia and she shook her head as well. After a few moments of thought, he began to understand what was going on and stood up slowly.

"You will both be well enough for the night. I have somewhere else to be."

With that he left the small house and walked out into the dying light.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mator sulked in the corner. He had debated whether or not he should have came but, in the end, it was his curiosity that won the battle.

While sitting there in his pitiful state, Ebudae and Smao chatted cheerfully. Mator cursed them for not feeling anything about what was going on here. He wondered why they would all be called here. This was the first time in many years that they had all been in the same room. Noticing that his siblings' annoying chatter had ceased, he looked at them and found both with their eyes glued to the door.

Two figures stood in the open door. A woman dressed in a black hooded cloak that cast shadows over her face stood next to a man dressed all in white fabric that flew in the breeze. Mator recognized them immediately, having been following their actions carefully over the last little while.

"Good, you have all arrived," a clear, beautiful voice rang delicately through the sanctuary. "Come let us all sit, we have much to discuss before the end of the night."

All eyes turned to see Cadora stepping down from the altar, her blonde hair dancing n a draft behind her. She stood at the head of the table, summoning the others to join her.

Mator stayed in his shadowed corner as the others approached the table. As usually there were only five chairs set up at the table. Mator smiled and nodded. The thought of always being the Unwanted comforted him. The others sat down and began to talk of small insignificant issues. Mator leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes, and listened to the growing conversation.

"Now, you may have guessed on why I called you all here," Cadora said softly, directing the conversation to the lingering questions on everyone's mind. "You all know my oath has awaken and now begins to spread it's influence."

"Yes, Mother, I am all too aware of the growing uneasiness among six certain individuals," stated Smao rather sourly. "Surely, you called us for something more important. I was rather enjoying myself where I was before you called."

"Hush, my son, let me finish," Cadora replied. "I called you here to discuss what is happening. So tell me of your adventures."

The Dark Lady smiled, hoping she would have this moment to gloat over her brother.

"My honoured Mother, my children have all grown strong and powerful. I have seen to it that they have all been trained well. My gods," she said as she looked to Smao and Ebudae, "It pleases me to tell you that I have trained two of my children to be your humble servants. Might I also add that they are two of my more favoured ones."

Smao sat back smiling as Ebudae squealed in delight, but the Light Man glared at his sister.

"You have done great work, my mortal friend," commented Smao slowly, in a voice meant to melt a woman's heart. "In exchange for your hard work and hopefully your continued dedication, I wish to offer you a gift."

Slowly lifting his hand, he removed a golden band, with a single ruby embedded in it, from his finger and extended it to the Dark Lady.

"This ring will give the wearer great power. With this ring, the wearer may have a highened sense of the emotions belonging to those around him. He may also be able to dampen any negative emotions around him as well," he explained proudly. The Dark Lady took the ring happily, slipping it into her pocket, then turned to her brother.

"Well my dear brother, what might you have to show for your efforts?" she asked mockingly. "Surely it's nothing worthy of such a great gift as the Elder has just placed upon me."

The Light Man stood up so abruptly that his chair went flying back. Hands gripping the edge of the table so hard his knuckles were turning white, he stared into his sister's eyes. He was just about to reply when a voice from the shadows interrupted him.

"Don't you dare mock Axel, Melantha," reprimanded Mator as he emerged from the shadows.

The Dark Lady Melantha gasped in shock, having not known Mator was present, nor excepting to hear her name being used. Both her and her brother had chosen to conceal their identities many years ago.

"You have absolutely no right to mock your brother, you senseless imbecile," Mator hissed at Melantha. "First of all, you take two children who were never meant to be part of the prophecy and force them to come to me. If that wasn't bad enough you come here, before all the gods of this world and blatantly lie before us. Unless I'm mistaken, Zendoria is your favourite and Marcus and Estelle are lost in the shadows of your love for her. She is after all the one you handed great power as well as command of the great destroyers to. Worst yet, you show off your work as a perfect when it is already developing many flaws. For some reason, I as an outside observer, have seen the treachery that you inattentiveness has led you to miss. Don't think this is something you can fix either, for it has been going on for a good two years now. Perhaps you left you precious children too soon. It's no wonder your brother has yet to locate all his children. His will only emerge when the time and circumstances are right, which they are not thanks to your carelessness. So next time you choose to mock someone be sure you are not the one who deserves that mockery."

Mator glared at Melantha a good couple minutes longer, until she quivered in her seat. He then glanced over the surprised faces around the table resting on the Light Man Axel. Mator smiled gently to him.

"Axel, you won't have to search much longer. As I come bearing bad news for the dark, I must also be the bringer of good tidings to the light. You have found two who will be great among the magical arts. Look to nature for your inspiration to their training. Another you shall find before the setting of tomorrow's sun. Be wary of this one for you will only have one chance to win him over. The last two you shall not find yourself. One will be selected for you by one of the others and the second will stumble upon you by chance and ask your aide. But five I have only mentioned and I did not make any error. One more there is who I may not tell you of yet. Her path is not clear and she still has much to overcome before she will be ready for what may lie before her in years to come," Mator described softly. "Go now, Axel and fret not, for your time begins soon. Go as well, Melantha, for you are soon to witness the downfall of your achievements."

Melantha stormed out quickly. Axel bowed to each of the gods, whispering his thanks and left the sanctuary. The family held the silence a few moments after Axel had left, thinking over what had happened. Finally Cadora looked up and smiled.

"My children there is no other reason for us to stay," she hinted softly.

All three took the hint and turned to leave. Smao and Ebudae left and walked off together. Mator was about to leave as well when a soft hand held him back.

"No, you stay," Cadora commanded.

Mator turned to face her. Though they had never been close at all, Mator respected her enough to obey her command.

"Come, sit," she said as she led him to a bench. "Now tell me why you go about studying the secrets of my prophecy?"

"I'm surprised, Mother, that you need ask me that for I thought my reasons were clear enough that at least my dearest mother would see them," he remarked slyly. "Am I not Death? So why does it surprise you that the prophecy which shall cause so much death interests me?"

"But then why do you watch Axel and his actions, unless to destroy them? For surely they are the ones who will bring an end to your precious deaths, but no, you have proven that's not your goal. For here today, you helped Axel greatly by giving him information it may have taken him months to uncover himself. As well you have kept an extra close eye over one of his children. So I can only be led to presume that you have some secret goal in mind and I demand to know what it is," demanded Cadora, annoyed that her own son would insult her so.

"Do you think me that cruel, that I wish to see those innocent souls, who have everything to live for, die so uselessly. I have lived a life without love, but have learned to love the mortals I serve. I wish them the best in life and have shed them each a tear in death. As for Elizabeth, I watch her because it is my duty. Do you not know your own creation, Mother? If you have not realized, then perhaps you aren't destined to know. Therefore all I shall tell you is that we have not met by choice but are bound together by your own words."

Mator smirked and disappeared from the temple before Cadora could respond.

"My son, my son," she whispering as she stared off into the distance.